


Bound By Duty

by ASchwartz33



Series: Wacky Adventures Aboard The Flying Thunder God [5]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, Frottage, M/M, Pining, Pirates, Pirates with ninjutsu, Polyamorous pirate crew, Polyamory, Sexual Tension, Shibari, Shimura Danzou Being an Asshole, Strangers to Lovers, Strangers to crewmates, Yamato|Tenzou-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:41:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25085581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ASchwartz33/pseuds/ASchwartz33
Summary: Part 5 of my pirate ninja series! Written for day 5 of Naruto fantasy week: thieves and outlaws.The crew of the flying thunder god raid an enemy ship, only to find a mysterious captive on board!
Relationships: Sai/Yamato | Tenzou
Series: Wacky Adventures Aboard The Flying Thunder God [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1732402
Comments: 10
Kudos: 56





	Bound By Duty

Tenzo could hear the sounds of battle above him on the deck. It wasn't all that often that they ran into other pirates who could mould chakra. Tenzo had his hands full fixing the ship, and trying to send his chakra far enough to keep the other ship afloat as well… at least  _ for now _ . 

Tenzo knew from experience how much easier it was to gather the supplies and equipment from  _ inside  _ the ship, as opposed to beneath the waves. 

Gai was yelling excitedly about youth, while the rest of the crew were relatively quiet fighters. Even Obito and Shisui were silent, focusing on taijutsu instead of using fire techniques that would cause both ships to deteriorate faster than Tenzo could handle. 

Really, Tenzo had hoped that he could take part in the battle this time. No such luck. Sometimes, when it was a civilian pirate ship he could join in, since they didn't have the means to destroy a ship Tenzo had reinforced so heavily with chakra. 

The battle was clearly winding down upstairs, and Tenzo listened for the all clear as he fed his chakra into the smooth wood beneath his fingers. 

"Tenzo." Kakashi called down the stairs, shooting him a small smile before disappearing again. The brunet smiled. The damage to the ship was minor, so he flashed above deck just in time to see Gai and Shisui loading the last unconscious enemy into a rowboat. Once they were done emptying the ship of its goods, they would destroy it. Civilian ships, they left intact. But ships belonging to chakra users?  _ Destroyed maliciously.  _

While they didn't try to  _ kill people _ … they were certainly not above it. This time, it looked like it hadn't been necessary. 

Tenzo made his way below deck to see what the other ship had been carrying. He moved through piles of supplies, barrels of rum, large wardrobes likely ripped from other ships, until he came to the brig. It was located in a similar location to the one on their own ship, on the second deck across from the stairs. 

_ That wasn't what had gotten his attention though.  _

There was a  _ boy  _ locked up in the brig, watching quietly as the crew dug through treasures and supplies. When Tenzo moved closer, he appeared to be a teenager, somewhere around 18. Tenzo immediately flickered his chakra, and Minato was by his side in a heartbeat. 

"Oh." Minato commented, just as shocked as Tenzo to find a captive aboard the ship. 

Kakashi joined them a moment later, silver eyebrows raised as the boy still just watched them with no emotions on his face. Tenzo found him…  _ intriguing.  _ The boy had insanely pale skin, paler than the Uchihas did. Honestly, the skin tone made him vaguely think of Orochimaru… but he didn't want to follow that train of thought. 

His hair was black, his body was thin (though he admittedly looked to be in good shape), and his black eyes drew Tenzo in. He was wearing a black crop top and tight black pants.

"What do we do with him?" Kakashi mumbled quietly, waiting patiently for Minato to work through the situation in his head. 

"Who are you?" The blond captain asked. 

"My name is Sai." The captive answered immediately. He didn't seem concerned with answering their questions, but all Tenzo could really focus on was his smooth voice. 

"Why are you locked up?" Minato asked next, leaning against the bars carefully. 

"My father is a rich man. The owners of this ship wanted to trade me for a ransom." Sai replied easily. It bothered Tenzo how little Sai appeared to care for his situation. 

"And who is your father?" Minato asked, one golden brow cocked. 

"An advisor to the governor. He resides in Konoha." Sai drawled, maintaining eye-contact through the entire conversation. 

Minato glanced at Kakashi, and the two had some sort of silent conversation. When the captain returned his attention to the young boy, Minato smiled mischievously. "Kakashi, take him out and escort him to  _ our  _ brig. Looks like we'll be heading to Konoha." 

Tenzo smiled. He was fairly certain that Captain Minato wouldn't have left the young man with the other pirates… but he still worried sometimes unnecessarily. Kakashi cut through the lock on the door easily with his lightning chakra, the iron bars swinging open quickly. 

Sai made an effort to stand, even though his hands were bound. "Excuse me, Sir?" 

Minato tilted his head. "Hmm?" 

The boy gestured with his bound hands to a scroll on a crate nearby. "That scroll is mine, along with the ink beside it. It is really of no value except when I use it for my specific chakra technique. I  _ realize  _ that I have nothing to offer you specifically… but I would appreciate it dearly if my personal objects could be returned to me after you trade me back to my father."

Minato huffed a laugh. "If it is of no value to anyone besides yourself, I have no use for it. Of course you can take it with you when you leave my ship." 

Sai actually smiled for a moment, bowing his head in thanks as Tenzo made a point to grab the scroll and ink. 

Once Kakashi brought Sai onto their ship, Tenzo set the scroll and ink in a spot that was visible from the brig. Sure, the kid was still a captive, but at least he could be assured that his things were still there. 

"I'll choose one of the others to assign to his watch." Kakashi mumbled, turning to leave. 

"Wait!" Tenzo practically shouted, before schooling his features back to neutral. It didn't matter. Kakashi could always read him like an open book. He flushed immediately as the silver-haired pirate turned to look at him curiously. "Ah…  _ I  _ could keep an eye on him. I have more work to do down here anyway." 

A soft smile crossed Kakashi's lips, and flickered away immediately. Tenzo knew that he never asked for anything, and that Kakashi would likely grant him his wish just based on that fact alone. "Alright, Tenzo. I'll let Minato know." 

Just like that, Kakashi was gone. The older pirate disappeared in a swirl of dust and leaves, leaving Tenzo to sit and wonder why the hell he had just volunteered to keep an eye on the prisoner. 

~

Tenzo continued on with his work as usual, attempting not to stare at the interesting prisoner. Sai was quiet, but he could feel the boy's eyes on him as he made some minor repairs on the ship. 

"Your jutsu is very unique." Sai's smooth voice spoke softly. Tenzo turned, one eyebrow arched curiously. Tenzo's jutsu generally went unnoticed, a simple fact of life aboard  _ The Flying Thunder God.  _ Everyone here had witnessed his wood style thousands of times, and didn't comment on it. 

"I apologize if I am out of line… I just find it very intriguing." Sai spoke with a smile. 

Tenzo froze for a moment. "Uh… no, you aren't out of line." He finally replied. "How old are you, anyway?"

"I'm 18." Sai responded quickly. 

Tenzo frowned. "How did you end up with those other guys?" 

Sai deflated a bit, and Tenzo almost regretted asking. "I was sent by my father to try to make contact with one of his  _ associates.  _ I failed to find him, and was recognized by one of the men aboard that ship." 

"Are you upset because you couldn't find the associate? Or because you failed your father?" Tenzo prompted. 

Sai tilted his head in confusion. "Aren't those the same thing?" 

Tenzo huffed a laugh. "No. They aren't. I beat myself up when I fail a mission, if only because I see it as not doing my share of the work as part of this crew. However, my captain may not be disappointed in me at all, insisting that I tried my hardest." Tenzo explained carefully. "So which one is bothering you?" 

Sai contemplated Tenzo's response for a minute. He was curious what the young boy's answer would be. Tenzo felt like he wanted to know  _ more.  _ "I suppose I am more worried about telling my father that I have failed, as opposed to the actual failure itself. My father's associate is not a good man, and I can't say that I am sad to have missed him." 

"What do you mean,  _ not a good man _ ?" Tenzo asked automatically. After all, the argument could definitely be made that no one on this crew was a  _ good man _ . Pirates weren't exactly known for their moral compass. 

"I don't know if I am supposed to give out that sort of information." Sai answered, seeming a bit disappointed to be ending the discussion on the topic. 

Tenzo nodded. "I understand. Are you hungry?" 

Sai's smile was infectious, the young man clearly thrilled that Tenzo wasn't going to stop talking to him simply because he could not answer all of his questions. Tenzo still had a few more to ask about his treatment aboard the other ship, but decided to wait a bit on that. On  _ this  _ ship, prisoners were treated humanely, and that meant making sure Sai actually had something to eat. 

~

They had set sail again nearly an hour ago. It was a two day trip back to Konoha, and the crew wasted no time leaving behind flames and ashes where the other ship used to be. Tenzo found Kakashi on the upper deck, sunbathing. It was easy to convince his oldest friend to heat up some soup for Sai with a small fire-style jutsu.

"How is he?" Kakashi asked quietly. 

"He seems to be in decent spirits… though he seems a bit lonely." Tenzo replied, adding a final few ingredients to the bowl in his hands before offering it to Kakashi. The older man accepted the bowl, carefully channeling flaming chakra into the liquid. Once he was finished, he handed the wooden bowl back. "And the other crew? Did they…  _ treat him okay? _ " 

Tenzo knew what he was asking. Sai had clearly been mistreated at some point. The bruises on his slim frame appeared to be older than the last day or so… though there were  _ other  _ things to worry about. Sai was young, thin, and his looks were leaning slightly towards the  _ feminine  _ side. It wasn't a stretch to think that some lowlife would take advantage of him. 

Tenzo shuddered to think about it. He'd had a number of close calls during his childhood… but  _ none  _ since Kakashi had rescued him from Orochimaru. 

"I… haven't asked yet. He still seems friendly enough. Maybe I'll try to ask after he eats something." Tenzo replied sullenly. Kakashi rubbed his shoulder reassuringly, giving his silent support on a topic that had always been a little close to home for Tenzo. 

Back below deck, Tenzo entered the enclosed brig easily. Sai didn't move from his seat on the floor, not even when Tenzo turned his back to set the bowl of soup down. Even from a distance, Tenzo could see that the way the boy's hands were tied was crude. The brunette leaned down slowly, gesturing for Sai to raise his arms. The boy complied immediately, and Tenzo's stomach sank. 

_ They should have checked earlier.  _

Sai's hands and wrists were bound tightly.  _ Too tightly.  _ The ropes were digging into his skin, and the bits that wound between his fingers were so tight that the digits were discolored. Tenzo inhaled sharply, grabbing a kunai from his side and cutting the ropes loose immediately. "How long have your fingers been like this?" He asked worriedly, pulling the remaining rope away from Sai's cold hands. 

"They would adjust it every morning… checking to make sure I wasn't trying to undo it." Sai answered calmly. He didn't appear to care that his fingers were on the verge of permanent damage. 

Tenzo filtered healing chakra in carefully, fixing the young man's circulation and healing the cuts around his wrists. 

"Thank you." Sai whispered quietly. 

Tenzo focused on his work, simply nodding to show that he had heard him. 

Even though Tenzo felt bad for the teen, he knew that above all,  _ this was still a prisoner.  _ They didn't  _ know  _ Sai. He could still pose a threat to them, regardless of how nice he seemed. Tenzo sent his chakra out once more for the moment, one flat tendril of wood wrapping around Sai's wrist in a thick cuff. The seal burned into the smooth wood instantly, and Sai's eyes widened in surprise when he felt his chakra being sealed. 

The jutsu formula was easy. Tenzo could create them in his sleep. Having both Jiraiya  _ and  _ Minato as his teachers certainly gave him a leg up in that regard. 

Tenzo stood while Sai examined his new bracelet. "As long as you remain in  _ here _ , I can leave your hands unbound. But once you need to relieve yourself or stretch your legs… I will need to bind you again." 

Sai nodded his acceptance, reaching out when Tenzo moved to hand him the soup he had made.

It was a bit disheartening to see the surprise on Sai's face at his proper treatment. Though if his hands were any clue… the other pirates weren't kind to him. 

Tenzo left the brig so that Sai could eat in peace, deciding to do a bit of training while he kept an eye on him. 

~

Tenzo was more than aware that Sai was watching him work through his exercises. Though, he could make the argument that he didn't have  _ much else  _ to look at. Perhaps his choice to exercise without his shirt was not a good one. Tenzo was interrupted when a familiar presence popped up next to him. 

"How is he doing?" Minato asked quietly, not hiding his blatant ogling of the skin Tenzo was showing. 

It really didn't matter how long Tenzo had been involved with the crew. Minato's appreciative gaze still brought a heat to his cheeks that he couldn't quite hide. Tenzo ran a hand behind his neck sheepishly. "Sai's doing fine. He is very quiet." Tenzo answered with a shy smile. 

Minato smiled, and Tenzo knew it was the familiar tone that he was smiling at. The captain finally took another look at their captive, eyeing the new chakra sealing bracelet Tenzo had put on his wrist. 

"His fingers were in bad shape. They didn't know how to properly bind him so he couldn't use his jutsu." Tenzo commented, sensing his captain's train of thought. 

Minato hummed, stepping up to Tenzo's space and running agile fingers along the bare skin of Tenzo's abdomen. "Good job, Tenzo."

One shiver, and Minato was gone. "Tease." Tenzo whispered to himself, shaking his head in fond exasperation at the empty space the blond had been standing in. 

~

Tenzo still hadn’t finished his exercises before he was interrupted again. This time, it was Shisui. The smiling Uchiha was in his face before he could even react, sweeping Tenzo up into a warm embrace. 

“Hey Tenz.” Shisui cooed softly, running his hands over Tenzo’s sides. “You wanna…?” He asked, wiggling his eyebrows as his hands drifted back towards his ass. 

Tenzo laughed, moving his crewmate’s hands off of him. “As appealing as that sounds… I’m going to have to pass. I’m keeping our prisoner company.” Tenzo replied, gesturing towards Sai with a smile. 

Shisui pouted, his adorable face scrunched up and puppy-dog eyes looking up at him. It was very difficult to say “no” to. Tenzo was particularly susceptible to those giant beautiful eyes. “Shisui… I’m serious. I can’t.”

Shisui’s pout disappeared immediately, and soft lips pressed against Tenzo’s chest. “Okay. But next time, I’ll give you a  _ real _ workout.” He replied with a smile, smirking dangerously before disappearing much like Minato did. Tenzo huffed, rolling his eyes and willing himself not to get an erection.

“You seem to have an interesting crew." Sai spoke suddenly, pulling Tenzo from his thoughts. 

"What do you mean?" Tenzo asked cautiously. 

"They all seem…  _ intimate  _ with you." Sai responded carefully, seemingly aware that any insulting words would make Tenzo extremely angry. 

Tenzo felt the blush creeping up his cheeks and down his bare chest. He regretted exercising shirtless, crossing his arms over his torso defensively. "That's because they  _ are. _ " He answered quietly.  _ "All  _ of us are rather intimate with each other." Tenzo admitted quietly. He wasn't a fan of lying, and felt no need to do so at the moment. 

"Ah. I see." Sai responded, seemingly uninterested in hearing more about it. 

Tenzo felt his face flush red again. "Um… do you… need to… use the bathroom?" 

Sai tilted his head, confused by the wording Tenzo used. "You have a bathroom?" 

Tenzo nodded. "Sort of. We have a wide variety of skills on this ship, and have been able to rig something up."

"Oh." Sai answered quietly. "Well then I suppose I have waited long enough, if you wouldn't mind." 

Tenzo chose not to ask. It wouldn't help to know how long it had been since Sai had been allowed to relieve himself. Chances were that it would only serve to make Tenzo angry again. 

The brunet threw his shirt back on, taking a moment to make sure the buttons were properly fastened before using his chakra to open the cage. 

Sai remained still as Tenzo approached him. Regardless of how polite the boy had been, they still needed to take precautions. Tenzo reached out to the wrists Sai held dutifully behind his back, feeling his chakra spring to life. Smooth tendrils of wood flowed from his palms, winding around pale skin as directed. Twin streams moved around each wrist, partway up the young man's arms and jumping the gap to the opposite side at random intervals. Sai seemed…  _ uncomfortable.  _ His breaths were sharp, and his body twitched as the Mokuton settled against his skin. 

Tenzo ignored it, giving Sai a moment to settle himself before guiding him out of the brig and flickering them down to the lowest part of the ship. He had built this  _ particular  _ edition to the ship after too many late night rescues. Tenzo nearly shuddered thinking about how many times he had to pull Gai out of the dark water of the sea. He feared the day when none of them noticed his flailing and yelling. 

Now, there was a wooden toilet shaped into the lowest part of the ship, covering a hole that led straight to the ocean. Thankfully they had Minato, who could create a seal for  _ anything _ , including a seal to keep water from flowing freely into the ship. 

Sai seemed surprised and impressed at the setup, eyeing the mostly private area with raised eyebrows. "Wow." 

Tenzo smiled. This entire thing had been  _ his  _ personal idea, and the praise was welcome. He released his hold on the younger man, but paused when Sai only stared at him. 

"Ah… I can't really…" Sai mumbled shyly. 

_ Ah. Right.  _

Tenzo stepped closer, removing the mokuton quickly so Sai could handle himself for a couple minutes. He wouldn't turn his back. Sai was  _ still  _ a stranger, and still dangerous even without chakra. He could, however, turn to the side and stare at the floor. 

Sai didn't take long, and offered his back easily so Tenzo could bind him again. This time, Tenzo paid closer attention as his jutsu wound around Sai's pearly white skin. Sai's breath stuttered, his shoulders trembling the smallest amount. It wasn't until Tenzo caught a glimpse of Sai's reddened face, his slim lips parted and eyes glazed over. 

_ Oh.  _

_ Okay.  _

_ Sai  _ **_liked_ ** _ being bound.  _

Tenzo had received similar reactions from other members of his crew. Shisui in particular had always been especially interested in  _ alternative  _ uses for his jutsu. 

Still, something was  _ different  _ about this. Sai's reaction was stronger than any of the others, and it inspired an interest within Tenzo that he hadn't known was there. 

With the jutsu finished, there was nothing for him to do besides lead his charge back to his cell. 

What  _ could  _ he do? He couldn't exactly…  _ no.  _ That was out of the question. It didn't matter if suddenly Tenzo was having a difficult time containing himself. The smooth brown of his mokuton made a delicious contrast to the soft white skin beneath it, and he couldn't pull his eyes away. Now he noticed how Sai tested the strength of the tendrils, his fingers and wrists flexing slowly.  _ Not trying to escape… _ but simply  _ feeling  _ the tightness of the wood against his body? 

Once Sai was back in his cell and the jutsu had been released, Tenzo couldn't think of anything to say. He hardly even nodded in response to the small  _ thanks  _ he received for his efforts. His mind simply couldn't stray from this new revelation. He said nothing, pulling out a book and pretending to read a short distance away. 

~

Over an hour later, Tenzo was still mindlessly staring at his book. Surely, Sai had noticed his lack of page-turning by now. Tenzo couldn't think of anything else, and suddenly he started trying to think of  _ other  _ reasons to bind the boy. 

An idea sprouted in his mind, and he found himself looking up a bit more enthusiastically than he needed to. Just as he expected, his movement wasn't unnoticed by Sai. "Would you like a tour of the ship?" 

Sai cocked his head sideways, eyebrows furrowing. "Really?" 

Tenzo nodded. "Yes. I could clear it with my captain, and then show you around… if you wanted." 

Sai's black eyebrows raised slightly. "I wouldn't mind walking around a little bit if I'm being honest. I would be grateful for the opportunity." 

Tenzo smiled, pulsing his chakra for the second time to call for Minato. It was only a moment later that the captain flickered to the second deck, and Tenzo nearly doubled over with laughter. 

The blond was naked, one hand holding a kunai, and the other hand holding a sheet closed around his lower half. His hair was a wild mess, and Tenzo didn't really need to guess what he had been doing. 

"Is everything alright?" Minato asked worriedly, his grip on the kunai tightening a fraction as he scanned the room. Once he registered Tenzo's hysterical laughter, he relaxed his stance and lowered his arm. 

"I'm sorry, Captain. I wasn't aware that you were  _ busy _ ." Tenzo spoke once he had regained control of himself. 

Minato huffed a laugh, looking down to check that he was actually covering himself with the sheet. "That's quite alright, Tenzo. I'm sure Kakashi and Shisui are doing  _ just fine  _ in my absence." 

Tenzo shook his head, chuckling under his breath. "Probably. I just wanted to ask if I could take Sai around the ship a little bit. Give him something to look at other than the cell bars for a little while." 

Minato smiled fondly at him, and Tenzo just  _ knew  _ that the older man could tell he had a  _ slight  _ crush on their prisoner. "I suppose that would be fine. Just make sure that you are careful." 

Tenzo smiled back at him. "I always am. Thank you." 

Minato shot him one more knowing smirk before disappearing once more. Tenzo made a mental note to avoid the captain's quarters when giving Sai the tour. 

The brunet took a moment to calm himself, entering the cage with a smile. Sai turned away from him automatically, holding his arms behind his back. Tenzo pursed his lips, thinking for a moment before gripping Sai's hands firmly. The younger man stiffened in surprise, and gasped almost silently once the mokuton started winding up and around his arms. The smooth wood split off, crossing over itself and moving carefully above Sai's elbows. Tenzo could feel every bit of tension in his body through his hands, and heard the sharp intake of breath as the mokuton tendrils reached up over narrow shoulders. Sai was nothing short of beautiful. Tenzo watched silently, taking in all of the information at once. The parted lips, the soft gasping, the way his legs squirmed as he attempted to keep control of himself…  _ all of it.  _

There was no doubt that Sai knew his secret had been revealed. There was no other reason for Tenzo to tie him this way. Tenzo forced himself to stop once the wood was situated around the top of his shoulders. 

Tenzo coughed awkwardly, trying to think of something,  _ anything _ to say. “Uh… shall we head up to the deck then?” 

Sai nodded, finally managing to catch his breath as Tenzo led him by an arm towards the stairs. Sai stopped, his black eyes drifting over the railing on the staircase. Tenzo looked as well, knowing that the younger man was looking at the carvings he had created. On  _ The Akatsuki _ , there were dragons winding up the rails. But on  _ The Flying Thunder God _ , Tenzo had painstakingly carved rolling waves into the sturdy wood. Sai leaned forward, inspecting the intricate details closely. “Was this  _ you _ ?” He asked quietly. 

Tenzo nodded, smiling at the man’s obvious appreciation of his craft. Honestly, the carvings had been there so long that most people on the crew didn’t even notice them anymore… not that most of the crew even  _ used  _ the stairs in the first place. 

“It’s beautiful.” Sai murmured, and Tenzo felt his face flush red with the praise. 

“Thanks.” Tenzo managed, watching Sai’s eyes sweep over all of his hard work. Sai’s expressions would have been hard to read if Tenzo hadn’t been so used to Kakashi. The younger man’s face barely shifted enough to make it noticeable. He had to wonder what kind of training he had received. 

After another minute, Sai started walking up the stairs again. Tenzo followed behind him, barely able to keep his eyes off of him. If Minato, Kakashi, and Shisui were all preoccupied in the captain’s quarters, then that meant that they were likely to find Obito and Gai up on deck. The moment they hit the upper deck, Sai took a deep breath of fresh air. Even though air moved pretty steadily throughout the ship, the air still grew stale below deck. There was nothing quite like the open air of the sea. 

“Oh! Tenzo! You’ve brought our traveling companion up onto the deck? How thrilling!” Gai shouted, popping up from behind them. 

Tenzo had long since gotten used to Gai’s unconventional enthusiasm. Sai looked somewhat confused by his demeanor, but chose not to say anything. Obito moved to Gai’s side, looking Sai over curiously. Tenzo took one look behind him to see that the Uchiha had left a clone to steer the ship. His face flushed bright red when he turned back to see Obito eyeing the intricate vines that curved around their captive’s arms. 

Obito could be rather dense sometimes… but he was far from stupid. The older man regarded Tenzo for a moment, probably trying to discern the true motives behind the unorthodox binding. If he came up with something, he didn’t mention it. “So what brings you two up here?” He asked casually. 

“Just showing Sai around the ship a little bit. Letting him stretch his legs.” Tenzo replied, trying his hardest not to give away the fact that he was growing a massive crush on the younger man. 

It didn’t work. Obito had known Tenzo for a long time, and the sly grin that spread across his face said everything that he had chosen not to. “I see.” He replied, his grin breaking out into a full-fledged smile. “We’ll leave you to it, then.”

Gai was confused, but Obito took mercy on Tenzo, pulling the larger man away while whispering suspiciously into his ear. Tenzo exhaled in relief, something that didn’t escape Sai’s attention… not that much  _ did. _

“Your crew seems to be very nice.” He commented, to which Tenzo hummed and nodded. “They really are. Each and every one of them is family to me.” 

“Family, huh? I don’t have any family. Other than my father.” Sai responded solemnly. “It… seems like a nice thing to have.”

“I don’t have any  _ blood _ family that I know of… but anyone that you grow to truly care about should be considered family. Eventually,  _ everyone  _ finds their true family.” Tenzo replied, not even fighting the fond smile. 

Sai turned to face him. “You really think so?” He asked, a heartbreaking hope filling his eyes that made Tenzo want to wrap him in his arms and keep him there. 

“I  _ know so. _ ” Tenzo answered easily. 

Sai hummed, contemplating Tenzo’s words as they slowly made their way along the deck. The younger man didn’t say much during Tenzo’s little tour, but he could tell that he was listening intently. 

Eventually, Tenzo ran out of things to show him. He knew that he couldn’t just let the man walk around freely all day, but he couldn’t help but feel bad for him. Tenzo led Sai back to the brig, guiding him with a steady hand on his back. 

After they settled back into the second deck and the mokuton bindings were removed, Sai and Tenzo talked for a long time. Mostly, it was Tenzo telling Sai about his crewmates, and sharing details about the pirate lifestyle. Sai didn’t actually seem too keen on sharing details about his own life, but the conversation flowed smoothly anyway. 

That night, Tenzo slept on the bed that had an easy view of the brig. Really, it wasn’t  _ necessary _ for Tenzo to keep an eye on the younger man  _ all  _ the time… but he couldn’t seem to pull himself away. When the brunet finally fell asleep, he dreamt of smooth strips of wood moving along pale skin. 

~

Tenzo woke with a large erection. Thankfully, Obito didn’t seem to notice as he snored softly next to him on the mattress. He just couldn’t get Sai out of his mind. They got along  _ so well _ , and it seemed such a shame that they were going to have to return him to Konoha. Also… he couldn’t quit thinking about what Sai would look like with the mokuton twisting and winding over his  _ entire body. _

Laying in bed thinking about it was certainly not helping Tenzo’s situation. Instead, he willed himself to move from the bed so that he could fix them something for breakfast. 

The next time Sai needed to leave his confinements, Tenzo changed things up. He was tired of only getting a side view of Sai’s reaction. When Sai faced away from him and presented his arms, Tenzo prompted him to turn around once more so he could bind his arms in front. Sai swallowed nervously, and Tenzo hoped that he hadn’t been mistaken about Sai’s reaction. 

He gripped Sai’s hands tightly, feeling them already beginning to tremble as the mokuton slowly sprung forth from his hands. Thin tendrils wrapped around his wrists twice before moving farther up his arm, circling again right below the elbow. 

This time, Tenzo was watching closely. Sai was panting, his skin flushed and his mouth parted while his eyes remained fixed on Tenzo’s. The air around them was nearly electrified with the sexual tension so thick between them. The wood continued to move up past his elbows. Tying the arms together again before continuing along its path. 

Once the tendril slipped under Sai’s shirt, the younger man gasped audibly. Tenzo wasn’t able to hold himself back as his jutsu wound itself around the younger man’s chest and down towards his stomach. 

He couldn’t see under the man’s shirt, but he could imagine the wood spreading intricately over the flawless pale skin. Once the thin strip reached below the line of his shirt and down to the skin of his stomach, Sai  _ whimpered _ wantonly. The sound alone was nearly enough to make Tenzo’s knees give out. In the moment it took for him to regain control over his legs, soft lips urgently pressed against his own. 

Tenzo stopped guiding the mokuton once it wrapped around Sai’s lower abdomen and pushed back into the surprising kiss he was receiving. He released his grip on Sai’s hands, reaching up to frame the pale face attached to his. 

Tenzo pulled away, slowly becoming worried that maybe he was taking advantage of a captive. Something must have shown on his face, because Sai immediately began to speak. “Tenzo… I  _ want  _ this. I want  _ you. _ ”

In his head, Tenzo knew that they were rapidly approaching Sai’s home. If he were to wager a guess, he would say that they were  _ maybe  _ two hours away. It was  _ too soon. _

When their lips collided again, it was hurried and messy. Tenzo’s calloused hands skimmed over the trembling skin of Sai’s belly.

How they ended up in the bed, Tenzo wasn’t entirely certain. All he knew was that Sai was gorgeous, and each little sound he made drove Tenzo just a little bit closer to going crazy with lust. Then, the mokuton was moving. The wood remained wrapped around Sai’s body, but his arms were no longer stuck together. Powder-white fingers drug through his hair, scraping at his scalp and pulling just the right amount to force a groan from Tenzo’s throat. It was too much and not enough at the same time. He needed  _ more. _ Tenzo held himself over Sai’s body, his arm straining as it held his weight, and one hand snaked down in between the two of them to palm Sai through his tight pants. The younger man moaned deliciously, nails digging into the skin of Tenzo’s shoulders beneath his shirt.

With the younger man wrapped around him so perfectly, Tenzo could only think of one thing. He thrust his hips against Sai’s, both of them moaning in tandem. The fact that the rest of the crew could probably hear them hardly crossed Tenzo’s mind. At least they would be polite enough to give them some privacy.

Tenzo’s free hand finally released Sai’s cock from his pants, his fingers struggling to do the same for himself afterwards. Sai tweaked one of his nipples just the right way, and Tenzo had to bite back a sharp cry as pleasure coursed through his body. Sai was warm and delicious, their mouths hardly separating enough for them to draw in any air. 

Finally,  _ finally  _ Tenzo managed to free his own erection, and quickly grabbed both of them in one hand. Sai was not quiet in the slightest. His moans echoed throughout the entire second deck, and only grew louder as Tenzo started pumping both of their cocks at the same time. 

Sai managed to stop his wailing long enough to kiss along Tenzo’s jaw, though a whimper still escaped when the brunet picked up the pace. Precome made the slide of his hand a little easier, a little more _ irresistible,  _ and Tenzo couldn’t have stopped if the ship was  _ on fire. _

Both men approached the edge rapidly, Tenzo’s eyes tracing the lines of his jutsu, still sitting snugly against Sai’s skin. Sai shuddered, his release hitting him hard as he cried out his loudest moan yet. The cock twitching against his was too much to handle, and Tenzo certainly did his part to paint Sai’s stomach with his release. His arm nearly gave out, the limb shaking so badly that he couldn’t even  _ begin  _ to comprehend how he was still holding himself over the younger man. 

Sai kissed him again, and this time it was unhurried and sweet. Tenzo’s heart clenched in his chest as he thought about their inevitable separation that was rapidly approaching. He pulled away from the kiss, dropping down onto his side with a grunt. His hand reached over the side of the bed, finding a discarded shirt to clean them up with. 

~

It was only another hour before Konoha came into view. Tenzo’s heart felt like there was a knife in it as they stood on the deck. Sai was standing silently to his side, his wrists in a simple bind once again. Really, it hadn’t been necessary, and Tenzo didn’t  _ want  _ to do it. However, he knew that Sai’s father would be suspicious if they attempted to exchange him for money and he looked like he had willingly remained with them. 

Everyone was shooting glances at him. They  _ knew _ . Kakashi was rubbing soothing circles into the shoulder on the opposite side of Sai, and all of the other crew members had each given him at least one hug since he had come up on the deck. 

It wasn’t helping the pain at all. 

Each moment that they drew nearer to the docks, the agony tearing apart Tenzo’s heart grew. 

Once the ship stopped moving, Sai turned towards a man that appeared to be waiting for someone on the dock. “Please tell Lord Danzo that I am in need of some assistance.” Sai spoke confidently, not seeming to notice how just mention of the name sent shivers down Tenzo’s spine.

_ Because Tenzo had  _ **_met_ ** _ Danzo before.  _

Sure, it had been when Tenzo was still living with Orochimaru, and he had been going through horrors that he dared not even  _ speak of _ … but the man named  _ Danzo Shimura  _ had given Tenzo the heebie jeebies. 

It didn’t matter. Sai needed to go home. Whether Tenzo liked it or not, Danzo was Sai’s only living family. 

And apparently, the man worked quickly. It had seemed like it was only five minutes that had passed since the man on the dock had promptly taken off to relay information to Danzo. Now, he returned with another man by his side. Tenzo didn’t remember a lot about Lord Danzo, but he knew enough to be able to tell that the newcomer was  _ not  _ him. 

“I am here to barter with you on behalf of the great Lord Danzo. What are your terms for the return of young Sai?” The man spoke, his voice edging on obnoxious. 

Thankfully, Minato jumped down to speak with the man privately. Tenzo honestly didn’t want to hear them place a price on Sai’s head. 

“Tenzo.” Sai whispered, drawing his attention away from the men that were rapidly adding their names to Tenzo’s shitlist. The younger man was smiling fondly at him, and reached out with his bound wrists to grip Tenzo’s fingers. “I won’t forget you.”

Tenzo smiled back at him, trying to reply over the sound of his heart breaking. “I won’t ever forget you either, Sai.”

It wasn’t long before Minato was back on the ship, asking Tenzo to remove his jutsu with regret filling his bright blue eyes. 

Tenzo fought against his feelings as hard as he could, but one single tear still escaped as he watched Sai walk away. 

~

They hadn’t left the dock yet. It had been nearly an hour since Tenzo had watched Sai walk away. It had been a long time since he had felt a connection like that towards someone who wasn’t on their crew, and he was having a hard time dealing with his aching heart. Tenzo was currently sitting on the deck, leaning back against Shisui’s chest while the younger Uchiha ran his fingers soothingly through Tenzo’s shaggy brown hair. It wasn’t helping.  _ Nothing was.  _

That is, nothing was helping until a familiar voice called Tenzo’s name from the dock. Tenzo was up before he could blink, his heart leaping up into his throat as he peered over the side of the ship. 

“Sai?” Tenzo called out hesitantly. He half believed that he was seeing things, until the rest of the crew joined him as well. 

Sai leapt up onto the deck of the ship gracefully, his chakra guiding him now that Tenzo’s mokuton bracelet was no longer restricting him. He smiled, his jutsu scroll peeking out from the bag that he carried on his back. “Tenzo.” he replied with a smile. 

It was then that Tenzo noticed the new bruising over Sai’s eye, and a burning rage filled him that he hadn’t felt in years.

Minato was there first, green chakra flowing from his fingertips. “Sai… what happened?”

Sai tilted his head curiously. “My eye? Oh. That’s nothing out of the ordinary. Just a result of my failure.”

It was not the answer Tenzo expected. He hadn’t expected the 18 year old to act as if receiving a black eye from his father was  _ normal. _ Tenzo suddenly felt sick to his stomach, and he could tell that he wasn’t the only one. The rest of the crew looked just as livid as he felt. 

“Actually, I’ve been sent here to steal back the money that you received for my return. Lord Danzo is saving the rest of my punishment for after my return.” Sai answered easily, his words causing Minato to pull away from him and ready himself for an attack.

“I do not intend to do such a thing.” Sai admitted with a shrug. “Though I do not intend to return to Lord Danzo with another failure hanging over my head either. I was wondering… if it would be possible to join your crew?”

Silence fell throughout the group as every head turned to face Minato. As captain, it was ultimately his choice. 

Instead of answering, Minato pulled Sai into a crushing hug, a huge smile adorning his face. Tenzo felt his stomach settle finally, his relief palpable in the air as he exhaled sharply. Sai… was staying? It almost felt too good to be true, even once Minato released Sai from his clutches and the younger man moved to stand next to Tenzo once again. Even when Tenzo had captured Sai in an embrace of his own, it seemed too good to be true.

“Minato? I had a little errand that I had hoped to run before we take off. Do you mind?” Shisui asked. “It won’t take long. Obito will go with me.” 

“Fine, fine. Just hurry.” Minato answered with a smile.

Obito placed a hand on Sai’s shoulder, squeezing a small amount. “Hey, where does Danzo live? We’ll want to avoid that area in case his henchmen recognize us.” 

Sai pointed to a large, old looking building that stood tall over almost every other building in Konoha. “Stay away from that one, then. That is Lord Danzo’s home.”

Shisui and Obito both nodded, disappearing in a flash. 

Everyone was still giving Sai a warm welcome when the two Uchihas returned, and the crew worked quickly to set sail before Danzo could catch wind of Sai’s betrayal. After learning what little Sai was willing to tell them at the moment, Tenzo was more than glad to be removing him from the man’s clutches. If anything, his only regret was that he didn’t enter the city and kill Danzo himself. 

Tenzo did, however, send thankful glances towards Shisui and Obito when he noticed the smoke that was coming directly from the center of Konoha. 

_ Right where Danzo’s home was sitting _ . 

Sai didn’t appear to notice, even as the building started to crumble in the distance, too swept up in the enthusiastic ramblings that Gai was forcing him to listen to. 

Honestly, Tenzo couldn’t be happier. Sai was safe now, a permanent addition to this wonderful crew. As they sailed off into the sunset, Tenzo smiled brightly, listening to his crewmates arguing over whose bed Sai would be sleeping in for his first night as a pirate. 

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I hope to have the next installment finished for the free day on day 7! Keep an eye out! Comments make my day! Let me know what you think!


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